In the world of college football, there are two types of atmospheres. Some are in small college towns like Pullman or Corvallis where it’s intimate and the football team is a big part of the community.
Then there are schools like those in the SEC that are in small towns, but have a big city feel to them because an actual big city is very close by. These are the teams that have an NFL feel to them and win championships most of the time.
Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham says the Ducks have the best of both worlds. Eugene has a small-town feel to it, but Oregon has the big-time atmosphere to win championships.
“This place cares about football. I say this is the only place west of Texas that has a mindset of the South when it comes to football,” Dillingham said. “This is a southern school. When it comes to football and when it comes to sports, it’s a true college town that can win championships. And if you’re out west, this is the only real college town that can win championships. It’s pretty cool.”
Dan Lanning and his staff have definitely been a part of small-town schools, but they also know what it takes to win championships in major SEC institutions. Lanning has had stints at Sam Houston State, but has also been at Alabama and Georgia.
Dillingham started out on the high school level before going coaching on the college level such as Arizona State and Memphis. Dillingham then went on to schools that have championship banners hanging in the stadium such as Auburn and Florida State.
The Ducks have proven they can make it to the championship game and play on the biggest stage. Now Lanning, Dillingham and the rest of the staff are out to prove Oregon can win on the biggest stage.
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